I didn’t know what to expect from this fantasy novella. The description was intriguing- a Persian inspired secondary world fantasy with blood magic? I decided to give it a whirl, thanks to an eARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book! The writing style was both lyrical and down to earth, if that makes any sense. The descriptions of the different kinds of magic made just enough sense without feeling like you were being weighed down with a Player’s Handbook. I got a little bit squeamish about some of the medical descriptions during an autopsy, but it wasn’t anything over the top. The mystery fooled me - I didn’t see who the perpetrator was until only a page before the reveal, and I liked how the author and the narrator both acknowledge that the antagonist doesn’t necessarily have to be evil. I think the author mostly handled the cast of characters well, although the mother character was such a nonentity that she could’ve been excised easily. I also really appreciated both the realistic sibling relationship and the well-realized trans, ace, and non-binary characters. I definitely recommend this book and will look for more from the author in the future.
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